


From the Cradle

by GoldenHoofSilverMane



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Bad Dumbles, Dumbledore Bashing, F/M, Ginny Bashing, Good Lucius, Good Tom, M/M, Multi, Other
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-01-29
Updated: 2014-02-06
Packaged: 2018-01-10 11:55:20
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death, Underage
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,967
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1159449
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GoldenHoofSilverMane/pseuds/GoldenHoofSilverMane
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Harry is not Harry, he's really Hadrian Salazar Slytherin-Riddle, the son of Politician Tomas Riddle and his bonded mate, Alcaeus Slytherin-Riddle. Taken from Alcaeus and Tom when he was still in the womb, he was given to the Potters by a plotting Albus Dumbledore. Now, Harry is about to start his third year, suffering from affects of his summer stay with the Dursleys, he finds himself desperate for a place to hide away from everyone and everything. He goes to the Chamber of Secrets, and finds a rather interesting room, one that not even Dumbledore knew about. It's called the Room of Silence, and is the resting place of a man that looks a lot like Harry does.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter One

**Author's Note:**

> Okay, so this story is rather....Au, I know, but I've been told it's good and that I need to post it, so I'm posting it. Just a little bit of background, since I know this story can be confusing if you don't know what's what.  
> So, Alcaeus Slytherin is Salazar Slytherin's second born son. He was born similar to a hermaphrodite but because he's a wizard, he doesn't have any different plumbing. When Salazar realized his son's differences, and how dangerous it was for him at the time to be left alone, he placed Alcaeus under a kind of sleep spell and potion, and built the Chamber of Secrets to house his son's body until a time when it's safe for him to wake up. He leaves clues for future heirs that might find the Chamber, but it's not until Tom Riddle gets to Hogwarts that the clues are actually found and figured out. The rest is rather simple, Tom wakes Alcaeus, falls in love with the Slytherin prince, and bonds with him, Alcaeus gets pregnant and Dumbledore panics because Tom is getting more support in the political arena.  
> So, there's the background, if anyone has any more questions, comment and I'll try to clear things up by the next chapter.  
> No mean reviews or flames, I'll burn them with relish!

 

Prologue

 

 

Alcaeus Slytherin-Riddle stared out the foggy window with a bit of wistful longing. His husband, Tom, was late returning, a problem at work, he was sure, and Alcaeus wondered if it had anything to do with Albus Dumbledore.

 

The old man had been nothing but a fool and a pain in Alcaeus' side since he'd woken.

 

Alcaeus had been the second son of Salazar Slytherin, founder of Hogwarts school of Witchcraft and Wizardry, and, at age twenty, it was discovered that Alcaeus was a bearer, a wizard capable of carrying children.

 

This was a rare enough ability back then, that, had anyone discovered it, Alcaeus would never have seen his family or the light of day again. He'd have been kidnapped, locked away and used by some lord or Duke with manly preferences until he was heavy with child, then, after the child was born, the whole thing would start over.

 

So, instead of losing his son in such a cruel, and dangerous way, because Alcaeus would never have gone without a fight, Salazar had come up with the Chamber of Secrets.

 

The chamber was originally for Salazar's heirs to escape from the humdrum normality of the school life, Alcaeus had found solace in the secret library many times, but now it would act as Alcaeus' hiding place.

 

Given a phial of the Draught of the Living Death, Alcaeus had been placed in a large, crystal coffin like box, on a bed of silk and satin, and sealed in the Chamber until a time when men were not selfish bastards, his ability was more common, and he would be safe.

 

Alcaeus had, quite honestly, not expected to wake up a thousand years later, in the arms of Tom Marvolo Riddle, a descendant of his father, and fall in love.

 

No, he had seen too much prejudice, too many men with lust in their gazes, and had expected to be indentured into a life of pain.

 

Tom had startled him, had left him speechless so many times, with talk of equality for more than just wizards and witches. He'd told him of the suffering creatures endured, the anger, the fear and the way they stood strong despite being downtrodden and abused. Tom had been a dream come true.

 

Alcaeus smiled softly, placing a gentle hand on the swell of his belly. He ran his fingers in soothing circles when their baby, a boy, kicked against his palm.

 

“Don't worry my darling baby, your daddy will be home soon.” He murmured, turning from the window to look at the clock sitting on the mantle of the fireplace, one of the more extravagant luxuries Tom had insisted on.

 

He smiled again when a second kick landed against his palm, and he settled on the couch, picking up the latest baby book Tom had brought home.

 

Alcaeus had been surprised when he'd discovered he was pregnant, but then the panic had set in. They hadn't spoken or talked in any way about children, at least, nothing more than 'I want them' and 'yeah, me to,' before they'd gotten bonded. When he'd told Tom about their baby, he'd been prepared for everything but what actually happened.

 

Tom had started crying, and babbling. He'd been able to discern, from the tearful babbles, that Tom was delighted, overjoyed, really, about the baby, and that he was going to do everything he could to make it so that their baby never grew up in a time of prejudice and suffering.

 

He glanced back up at the clock and sighed. It was now half past nine, and Alcaeus wondered just what was keeping his husband.

 

A soft thud came from the general direction of Tom's office, and Alcaeus frowned. Tom never flooed home, something about Dumbledore tracking him to the floo's in the house. He heaved himself back onto his feet, groaning softly as his toes and ankles ached. He made his way carefully over to the door, a sense of sudden dread filling him even though he tried to push it aside.

 

He touched the door, pushing until it swung open with a soft creak. “Tom? Is that you?”

 

A figure stood straight up, the soft, green glow from the fireplace telling him that whoever it was had flooed into their home, and, they weren't Tom.

 

“I'm sorry, Mr. Slytherin.....” Alcaeus gasped and stepped back as Albus Dumbledore stepped foreward. “You see, Tom was delayed, though, he sent me to......keep you company, we'll say.”

 

Turning, Alcaeus made for the door into the back yard, a strangled cry leaving him as a surprisingly strong grip on his arms and yanked him back.

 

“Ah, ah, ah....we wouldn't want to hurt the baby, now would we?” Albus murmured in his ear, and Alcaeus shivered in dread and fear.

 

 

 

Lily Potter stared at her old Headmaster as he walked up their front steps, the wriggling form in his arms making her heart flutter.

 

“Albus?” Her husband asked, curiosity and a bit or worry in his voice. He wrapped an arm around her shoulders as they watched the man come closer.

 

“Lily, James, I am sorry to have to call upon you so late,” the Headmaster said softly, his eyes twinkling in a way that made Lily shiver. “But, I'm afraid Voldemort struck again, in a most violent and dark way.”

 

Lily gasped, one hand going to cover her mouth as she tried not to feel fear at the sudden glint of dark glee and fanaticism she'd seen in those old blue eyes.

 

“What do you mean, Albus?” James asked, his voice hard as he recognized the darkness in his old headmaster.

 

“I'm afraid, that earlier this evening, a young couple were murdered by Voldemort when they refused to join him.” Albus said sadly, glancing down when the bundle in his arms gurgled angrily. “They managed to hide their newborn baby boy in a closet. Truly a miracle Voldemort didn't find him.”

 

Lily glanced up at her husband, and swallowed. Dumbledore knew just what he was doing to them.

 

A curse had hit Lily on one of her missions as an Auror, making it impossible for them to have the many kids they'd wanted. James had always wanted a boy, to carry on the Potter line, of course, but it had always been his dream to see a copy of himself with Lily's eyes. He'd confessed this to her when they'd learned of what the curse had done.

 

James cursed in his mind, behind the solid Occlumency barrier's he'd erected to keep his Headmaster out. The old fool was playing on their emotions, on their greatest desire. James realized that if they took the boy, Dumbledore would expect them to do more. He'd probably show up sooner or later with some outrageous demand, and then, when they tried to refuse, would mention how he'd brought them the baby.

 

He'd noticed in his last year at Hogwarts how manipulative the man really was, and how he seemed determined to stay in the spotlight as the Lord of the Light, the Defeater of Grindelwald, and over all leader of the wizarding world.

 

He didn't like the way the man was looking at them and the baby, no, he didn't like it one bit.

 

“He doesn't have any other family, the poor dear.” Albus murmured, turning as if to leave. “I'll have to take him to the Ministry, I suppose, though I'd rather he didn't end up in their care.”

 

James cursed and stepped out onto the small porch. “We'll take him.”

 

Behind him, Lily gasped, and he braced his Occlumency shields when Albus turned and met his gaze.

 

When Albus nodded, James barely restrained himself from releasing a breath. He'd probably not fooled the old man as well as he liked to think, but at least they had the boy, and he could make sure Albus had nothing to do with the child as he grew up.

 

Lily stepped up beside him, holding out her arms, barely daring to breathe as Albus laid the child in her arms.

 

He felt pride and joy swell in his heart at the sight of his wife cradling the small bundle. They'd wanted a baby since before they'd married, and, now, they had the chance. James only hoped that whoever Dumbledore had….. found, hadn't suffered.

 

Lily smiled and conjured a bottle, carrying it and the baby inside to get something for him to eat. The poor thing, it looked barely hours old. James frowned at that thought, and shivered. He started praying to every god and guardian spirit he'd heard of that whatever had happened to the baby's birth parents, Dumbledore had had nothing to do with it.

 

 

Alcaeus gasped, the taste of blood bitter on his tongue, as he tried to do.....well, something!

 

He'd just been attacked, Albus Dumbledore describing in finite detail what he was going to do as he carved up Alcaeus' body, as he ripped his baby from his stomach. That had been the worst part.

 

Not the pain, no.

 

It was the fact that Alcaeus, warrior mage, accomplished wizard, was unable to protect his unborn child from a madman.

 

He sobbed, tears running down his cheeks and mixing with the blood slowly pooling beneath his freezing body.

 

Dumbledore had taken great pleasure in torturing Alcaeus, and not with the sharp tip of a knife, though he'd enjoyed that far too much for anyone supposedly sane.

 

No, he'd taken great enjoyment in telling Alcaeus about what he would do to Tom when he discovered what he'd done.

 

He would warp his beloved's mind, make him do things Tom would never do. Terror had filled Alcaeus at those words. Tom could never hurt anyone unless it was in self-defense. Even then, Tom felt horrible after-wards.

 

Tom was the leader of a peaceful coven, the members were considered outcasts because they had an affinity for Dark Magic. Dark......Light........it seemed as if it all came down to those two words.

 

Alcaeus gave a weak chuckle, his vision blurring as the blood continued to slowly seep from his wounds.

 

He only hoped that whatever happened to him, that his baby, the baby taken by that monster to play a part in some cruel, twisted plan of revenge and power Dumbledore had cooked up, he hoped to Circe, Morgana, and Merlin that his baby survived and was safe.

 

He coughed, weakly, as a soft, echoing crack outside signaled his husband's return.

 

The door opened, and Alcaeus could tell the moment Tom realized something was wrong from the sudden indrawn breath that was his name.

 

“Alcaeus!” Tom suddenly called out, and Alcaeus coughed again, his eyes searching for his beloved, hoping to be able to spot him before he passed on.

 

Warm arms wrapped around him, and Alcaeus gave a weak, choked sob. “H-Hadrian......” he gasped out, his fingers tangling in Tom's robes. “He took.....Hadrian.”

 

He looked up into Tom's eyes, and saw the rage, the pain....the fear, and his heart broke. He never wanted to hurt Tom, and, even though this was out of his hands, it seemed he'd done just that.

 

“I-I'm s-sorry......love.”

 

Tom's eyes widened and his hold tightened. “No, gods, please no! Alcaeus!”

 

 

James and Lily watched as their newly adopted son slept in their best friend's arms. Sirius stared in awe down at the baby's face, a small, goofy smile having replaced the frown that had been on his face earlier.

 

“You said Dumbledore brought him?” Remus asked, watching his mate carefully with the baby. It was already clear that he saw him as pack, and was fiercely protective.

 

James nodded as Lily handed Sirius a warm bottle of formula. “For when he wakes up.” She murmured softly.

 

“I hate to say it,” Sirius murmured, brushing at a some imaginary dirt on young Harry's forehead. “But this little tyke is too small and too new to have been born just days ago.” the frown was back.

 

Lily sighed sadly and nodded. “We were afraid of that. In fact, when we blood adopted him, we had the Goblins do a sort of aging thing. They said he was premature, supposed to be born three weeks after today.”

 

Sirius and Remus both gasped and gaped at the Potters. “You can't mean....” Remus asked softly, staring at the small form in his mate's arms.

 

James and Lily nodded as they glanced at each other. “We asked Severus to come over. He has some potions that will tell us who his parents are or were.” Lily whispered softly, reaching over and brushing her fingers over baby Harry's head.

 

The infant shifted in Sirius' arms, making them all smile as his mouth opened in a toothless yawn.

 

A soft, gentle knock on the door had all of them guiltily looking around a few moments later. They had all been so enthralled by the baby.

 

James moved quickly to the door, his wand held at the ready in his hand. He pulled it open slightly, pointing his wand at the face of the man he recognized from their school years. “Who was it that got you and Lily back together?” He asked sharply, causing one sculpted eyebrow to rise.

 

“Remus Lupin and Sirius Black, though the mutt was just there for decoration.” Severus Snape drawled, stepping into the house when James stepped back and gestured towards the living area.

 

“Severus!” Lily called out softly, her hand clutched tightly in the tiny fingers of an obviously smaller than normal baby.

 

Severus paused at the sight, and wondered if maybe they'd found a way around the curse, but then he realized that Lily would have told him. So this child was not a biological Potter, but, judging by the protective stance of every single person in the room, he was as good as a Potter.

 

“Is that him then?” Severus asked softly, noting that the boy seemed to be asleep in the mutt's arms. He stepped closer when Lily nodded, bending to get a better look. He smiled slightly when the boy opened his eyes, then gasped at how vibrantly green they were.

 

“Yeah, they were like that when we got him, though.” Lily murmured softly, watching her new son watch Severus as closely as the man seemed to be him.

 

“They look like......no, impossible.” Severus suddenly stood, making his way over ot the fireplace. “I need ot use your floo.” He murmured distractedly.

 

The four other adults looked curiously at one another, but waited patiently.

 

“Malfoy Manor!” Severus called out, startling the others with the mild desperation they could hear in Severus' voice.

 

“Severus?” Lucius Malfoy's head appeared in the green flames, confusion written in every feature of the elegant face.

 

“Lucius, Riddle's husband, had green eyes, yes?” Severus asked, glancing back almost guiltily at the others.

 

Lucius frowned. “Yes, the deepest, and darkest green I have ever seen.”

 

Severus nodded. “I think, maybe you had better go check on Tom.”

 

Lucius' frown deepened, and then his eyes widened in horror. “Morgana! Tell me they haven't-”

 

Severus shook his head, cutting his friend off. “No, Luc, something......else. Please? Just go check.”

 

Lucius sighed and turned away slightly. “Dobby! I need you to go check on Master Tom and his family.” He turned back several seconds later, his face pasty white even in the flames. “Sev......”

 

“What's going on?” James asked, appearing next to Severus, who'd gasped and reached for his left arm.

 

Lucius looked startled for a moment, then sighed. “Severus and I are part of a coven lead by Tom Riddle.”

 

James frowned slightly. “The guy that's getting more popularity in the political arena?”

 

Lucius and Severus nodded. “He's been gaining support for his new creature, and muggleborn laws.” Severus murmured softly, glancing at Lily before looking back at Lucius. “He, obviously made a very powerful enemy when he started making it so that certain laws were slated to be abolished.”

 

Lily frowned. “Who could have enough power to rival Riddle? He's one of the top.....Oh.” She paled as a name popped to the forefront of her mind.

 

Lucius' nodded in the flames. “Albus Dumbledore does not like that someone else is in the spotlight. He even threatened Tom's pregnant husband at one of the minister's galas a few months back.”

 

Lily's eyes widened. “What do you mean 'threatened?'”

 

Lucius looked up at Severus who shivered. “He said he'd cut 'that useless mongrel out' of Alcaeus' stomach.” Severus whispered, glancing back at the sleeping baby. “I really had hoped it was just a bluff.” Severus whispered.

 

James frowned, glancing back at Siruis. “What do you mean?”

 

It was Lucius who answered him. “Tom Riddle and his husband are missing, their home empty, the worst part? There's way too much blood in the living area for either of them to survive.”

 


	2. Author's Note of Minor Apology

Okay so I think I owe you guys an apology. To start off, I was only writing this to get it out of my head and posted this chapter for someone to read because they wanted to read it and didn't want to look over my shoulder or read the hard copy I had - Looking at you Demon Mamoru!!!!!! :P - so if it takes me a month to get the next chapter done I am apologizing a head of time and begging for your forgiveness.  
I honestly did not expect this story to have the response it has had and only after a week. I will keep writing on it and updating so no worries, it just might take me longer than you hope or expect. I'll delete this part when I get done with the next couple of chapters so no worries about getting chapters and things mixed up.  
Thank you and I wish everyone well.


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